Diamonds
by Destiny's Call
Summary: Once upon a time, when Kairi's mother was a teenager, she fell for a boy who loved someone else. But she wouldn't stop fighting for him. Valentine's Day 2013


"Mommy?" Naminé looked up from her book toward the wall where the voice's owner was hiding. "Can I talk to you?"

The blonde set her book on the nearby coffee table. "Come in, sweetheart. Let me see how you look."

Timidly, a teenaged girl stepped out into the living room. Her locks of cranberry-colored hair were straightened, and they brushed against her shoulders and back as she walked. Her creamy skin stood out from the bubblegum-pink of her dress, and her eyes sparkled among the makeup that had been tediously applied. And her dress… it was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline and a skirt that fell a little past her knees. A white shawl rested over her shoulders, and a pendant rested at her throat.

"_Kairi_," Naminé breathed, "you look _beautiful_."

Kairi fiddled with her pendant. "You really think so?"

"Mmhm." Naminé stood up and gave her daughter a hug. "Absolutely lovely, my dear." She sat back on the couch. "Now, what was it?"

"Well…" Kairi sat down beside her mother. "You remember Sora?"

"Oh, the nice young man at the end-of-summer party?"

"Yes."

"What about him?"

"Well… I like him…"

"I know."

Kairi seemed unfazed. "But… Sure, I'm a friend, but he's going after what's-her-name—Yuffie, so he doesn't _see_ me, and I don't know what to do."

Naminé gave a slight laugh. "You know, Kairi, when I was your age, people _still_ came to me with advice like that. But as for you…" She stood up, went over to the bookshelf, grabbed one of its contents, and reseated herself beside her daughter. "Let me tell you a story."

* * *

_"Naminé! Wait up!" I slowed down, allowing my friend to catch up. "Hey."_

_ "Hey, Roxas."_

_ "I needed to talk to you."_

_ My heart started pounding. _Those_ words again. "About…?"_

_ "Xion."_

_ Just that word made my heart sink. "What about her?"_

_ "Do you… think you could give me more advice? I mean…" He gestured over to where Hayner had his arms around Olette, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You managed to get them together."_

_ "It's just advice," I said. "What they do with it is their problem."_

_ "You still pressured Hayner at the right moment, and bing—oh." Their playful kisses were turning into a full-out make out session. "Let's go."_

_ I followed the blond out of the area. No doubt Mr. Superior would get onto the couple. Holding hands or a quick kiss was okay. Make outs… no. I turned to look Roxas in the eye and put on my best fake smile. "So, about Xion… what do you want to know?"_

* * *

Naminé opened the scrapbook in her hands. First of the pictures had two blonds: one was male, one was female. They were both smiling, looking away from their conversation for a photo-op. "You see, when I was in high school, I was best friends with a guy named Roxas." The next few pictures were also of them together, sometimes so absorbed in whatever they were doing they didn't notice the photographer. "Eventually, I started to like him. Like, a lot. There was just one problem."

"What was that?"

"You know how everyone came—and comes—to me for advice?" Kairi nodded. "_Everybody_ did. Even him. About another girl."

"Did you know her?"

"I didn't meet her for a long time. At that point, I was jealous of a girl I'd never met. And it hurt."

"Kind of like with me and Sora…"

"Exactly."

* * *

_"Naminé, when do you think someone should give up on a crush?"_

_ I closed my book. "Is this about Xion again?"_

_ Roxas blushed. "Uh… yeah, it is."_

_ I groaned inwardly. Why couldn't he see _me?_ "Well, I dunno. How long?"_

_ "A year and a half."_

_ "Oh, that's not that bad. Some people chased after others for far longer, trying to get the objects of their affections to notice _them._" I said. "Personally, I've been chasing mine for about four months."_

_ Roxas whistled. "Who's the lucky guy?"_

_ "Now why would I tell you?"_

_ "Because I told you about Xion."_

_ "Well, Roxas, I'm sorry, but I can't. This secret stays with me."_

_ Roxas sighed, defeated. "Fine."_

* * *

The next few pictures were of Naminé, preparing for various formal events: Homecoming, a gala, concerts… finally, the Winter Dance arrived.

"Mom, is that _you_?" In the picture, Naminé was wearing a white dress with glittery ribbons for straps, and glitter along the skirt.

"That's me," Naminé confirmed. "The night of the Winter Dance. It was one of the biggest nights of the year for us."

"What happened here?"

"Well…"

* * *

_I was basically alone. Hayner and Olette had been hanging out with me, but the two went to some dark corner of the gym (transformed to the dance floor) to make out. Nearby, I noticed another friend of mine: Axel, the starting quarterback. Figuring his company was better than being alone, I walked over to him. As I got closer, I noticed that he was talking to a pretty raven-haired girl in a black cocktail dress._

_ "Hey, Axel."_

_ He turned to me. "Oh! Nami! Good to see you. Have you seen Roxy around?"_

_ I shook my head. "No. I tagged along with Hayner and Olette, but… yeah."_

_ He winced. "Oh. So you got left behind," the girl said in a soft, sweet voice._

_ "Yeah." I reached out my hand to shake hers. "Naminé."_

_ She shook mine. "Xion."_

_ I nearly stiffened, but held it back. So this was the girl that somehow won Roxas over without even knowing? She seemed… sweet. "Nice to meet you. Roxas has mentioned you a few times."_

_ "And he's mentioned _you_ several times as well. Plus your reputation."_

_ "Hm?"_

_ "'Miraculous Matchmaker and Romantic Advisor', or something like that."_

_ "Oh. That reputation."_

_ "Yeah."_

_ "Hey, you girls forget about me?" Axel jumped in._

_ "So, you know Axel?"_

_ I nodded. "Through him I met Rox."_

_ She nodded, understanding. "He's my date."_

_ The world slowed. "Date?" I gasped. "_Him_?" I quickly put on a joking tone to hide my shock. Xion was already taken?_

_ Xion laughed while Axel spluttered in indignation. "Yeah. I'm stuck with him."_

_ When Roxas found out, how did he…? "Hey, do you know _where_ Roxas is?"_

_ "I think I saw him out in the cafeteria."_

_ "Thanks." I left the gym and glanced around. Sure enough, I saw Roxas sitting alone at a table, staring down a can of soda and taking gulps of it. Like the high school version of drinking your sorrows away._

_ I approached him and tapped his shoulder. "Rox?" He jumped. "Something up?"_

_ "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just thinking."_

_ "What about?"_

_ "Well… what do you do if who you thought you liked, you don't really like as much as you think, and you really like someone else?"_

_ "Whoa, buddy," I said. "Where is all this coming from?"_

_ "It's just… maybe… I like you."_

_ Again, the world slowed. I could get out only one word: "Huh?"_

_ He was silent. "Maybe I shouldn't have said."_

_ "But I thought Xion was—"_

_ "Going out with Axel. If you didn't know."_

_ I knew. "But I—"_

_ "Will you come into the gym with me?" His request was so sudden, I didn't answer. He took it as a yes. He threw his can into recycling, and started to the gym. After removing myself from my daze, I followed him inside._

_ The soft pulses of the music echoed through the gym. "Shall we?" I glanced over at Roxas, who held out a hand for me. My head still was spinning. He had told me—_me!—_that he liked me. He liked me, plain old Naminé, instead of Xion? And—how fitting—it was a slow dance—well, semi-slow._

_ I took Roxas's hand and he led me onto the gym floor. He turned to face me and set his hands on my waist. I set mine on his shoulders, and slowly we began to sway. As the lyrics began, I recognized the song: "Diamonds" by Rihanna._

"Find light in the beautiful sea  
I choose to be happy  
You and I, you and I  
We're like diamonds in the sky."

_"I'm… not rushing you into anything, right?"_

_ I was jerked out of my thoughts by Roxas's voice. "Oh… no, you're not."_

_ "I… was just wondering, cause Xion… things didn't work out."_

_ "So I'm second choice," I said bitterly. I liked him, but second choice… hurt._

_ Roxas's eyes widened. "No, no! I didn't mean _that._ It's just… she's not quite the girl that I thought she was. Not quite the girl for me."_

_ I could feel myself blushing. "And I am."_

_ "Yeah." He nodded. "You're cute when you blush." That helped my blush. Not. "But… if maybe you like me, th—"_

_ "I do like you. A lot. For a while." It came out in a rush._

_ "Well, in that case… do you think, we could consider ourselves… in a relationship?" He was blushing now. That blush and grin that I'd only seen when we were talking about Xion._

"So shine bright, tonight, you and I  
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky  
Eye to eye, so alive  
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky"

_ I _did_ feel alive, and warm. His eyes locked with mine, and I lost myself in the beautiful pools of blue. He was beautiful, inside and out. And then I realized he was still waiting for my answer. I smiled. "I do believe we could."_

_ A dreamy smile lit up his face. "Roxas and Naminé… hm… do you like RokuNami or Namixas better?"_

_ "Uh… _what?!_"_

_ "For our pairing name. Like with fanfiction."_

_ "Roxas, we're not fictional characters, and people _aren't _going to write fanfiction about us. It doesn't matter."_

_ "…I suppose not."_

"Shine Bright like a diamond  
Shine Bright like a diamond  
Shining Bright like a diamond  
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky"

_ Roxas's eyes glowed and sparkled, like diamonds left in moonlight, or stars out in the dark night sky. "So… if we're a couple…"_

_ "Yeah?"_

"Shine bright like a diamond  
Shine bright like a diamond"

_ "Would you mind if I do… this?" And he leaned in and kissed me. My eyes widened. Did he really…? But then I felt myself relaxing. I felt comfortable in his arms, with his lips on mine. It was like it was meant to be._

_ But all kisses have to end. He pulled back, a mischievous glint in his eye and smirk on his lips. "Do you?" He asked._

_ "No…" I said. "I don't mind at all." The song ended, and he smiled and pulled me into a hug. "Thanks for the dance," he said._

_ The next song was faster. "Shall we go?" He again offered a hand, which I took. And together, we walked out of the gym and into a new start._

* * *

Naminé closed the scrapbook. "So don't give up, okay sweetie?"

The doorbell rang. "It's probably the guys," Kairi said.

"Go ahead and answer, then."

Kairi opened the door. "Hey, Kai—whoa."

It was the boy Naminé recognized to be Sora. "Hello. Sora, was it?"

"Y-yes, ma'am. And this is Riku. And she's Yuffie."

Kairi stiffened slightly. "H-hey, Yuffie."

"Hey, Kairi. Good to see you. So. Guess who asked me out."

Kairi shrugged. "Who?"

"Riku! I'm going as he date while you go with Sora!"

"What?"

Sora blushed beet red. "Yuffie! I hadn't asked her yet!"

Kairi was stunned. "You… want me to be your date?"

Sora was blushing even darker. "Uh… if you want to…"

Kairi jumped into his arms. "Yes! Yes!"

Naminé chuckled lightly. "Alright, you better head off. Have fun."

"Bye, Mom!" And the four were gone. Naminé closed the door.

"Was that our daughter leaving with a boy?"

Naminé smiled and leaned back into her husband's arms. "Yep. Off to a dance."

"Like us. Years ago." Roxas grinned. "Do you still remember the song?"

Naminé smiled. "I've never forgot it." That special song… when he kissed her.

And Roxas smiled and kissed Naminé again. "I love you, Nami."

"I love you too, Rox."

* * *

_So shine bright, tonight, You and I_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_Eye to eye, so alive_

_We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky_

_~"Diamonds" by Rihanna_

_Inspired by "Diamonds" and the adventures leading up to and during my current relationship. Happy Valentine's Day from me to you!_


End file.
